2008 Woodie Awards
What's So Funny about Peace, Love, and Understanding?
Courtney Roy
Issue date: 2/16/05 Section: Perspectives
- Page 1 of 1
"Mostly I'm tired of people being ugly to each other. I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world everyday. There's too much of it. It's like pieces of glass in my head all the time."
-The Green Mile
It seems as though everywhere we turn today we are faced with images of pain, desperation, and loneliness. In a society that values material wealth above all else, it is easy to forget about others and become totally self-absorbed. Though no one person can save the world, even the smallest gestures have the power to change someone's life, or make it a little easier to get through the day. We can never understand what others are faced with on a daily basis, and even someone who seems to have it all can be absolutely miserable inside. So many times I have looked at people who have all of the material wealth that one could ask for, only to see that their eyes were empty, longing for something more in life.
When walking around New York City, it is impossible to not encounter the faces of people who suffer unspeakable heartache and troubles. We slowly condition ourselves to overlook them and move on with our lives, and in the process harden our hearts to the needs of others. As a whole, we have all forgotten the power of a simple smile, or small gesture of kindness to a stranger in need. Sitting on the subway to Manhattan, I have seen faces that tell stories of such unspeakable pain. So many have simply been forgotten by society because of their economic or social status, and it is absolutely heartbreaking to see someone so lonely. I want so badly to embrace them, and tell them that there is someone out there who cares, but all I can ever manage is a small smile before I look away or pretend to be engrossed in some meaningless conversation. For whatever reason, a fear to really reach out to the truly suffering and alone has been instilled in me.
Even on our own campus, it seems as though we have all forgotten how to love one another. Instead, we are quick to attack, threatening and even physically assaulting others, as we have seen in recent events. Everywhere we go we are at risk of angering another and being the victim of irrational outbursts, simply for walking in the wrong direction or expressing our feelings. Surely, this constant stress is detrimental not only to our own health and happiness, but also to the community as a whole. On many levels, our campus is no longer a place where we can feel free to simply be the person we really are. Instead, we all put on fronts that will keep us safe from an attack, whether it be physical or verbal. As a community, we have forgotten how to love, and we have forgotten that even the smallest look can change a person's life. Each and every day we are all given the opportunity to show someone that we care, whether it be a simple smile or hello, or even stopping to talk to someone who looks lonely, this can make all the difference. There is no way to tell how a person really feels, and perhaps if we all had a little more understanding and compassion for others, we could all make the world a kinder place for someone who is surrounded by darkness.
College is such a tumultuous time for all of us. Despite our vast differences, we all share a common bond. No matter how easy it may seem on the outside, we are all stuck in a position filled with such great uncertainty-our futures are still dangling, we are out in the world on our own for the first time, and we all are still trying to decide who we really are. Perhaps if we all learned to be just a little kinder, a little more understanding, a little more accepting, we could build a place where everyone feels welcome, safe, and happy.
-The Green Mile
It seems as though everywhere we turn today we are faced with images of pain, desperation, and loneliness. In a society that values material wealth above all else, it is easy to forget about others and become totally self-absorbed. Though no one person can save the world, even the smallest gestures have the power to change someone's life, or make it a little easier to get through the day. We can never understand what others are faced with on a daily basis, and even someone who seems to have it all can be absolutely miserable inside. So many times I have looked at people who have all of the material wealth that one could ask for, only to see that their eyes were empty, longing for something more in life.
When walking around New York City, it is impossible to not encounter the faces of people who suffer unspeakable heartache and troubles. We slowly condition ourselves to overlook them and move on with our lives, and in the process harden our hearts to the needs of others. As a whole, we have all forgotten the power of a simple smile, or small gesture of kindness to a stranger in need. Sitting on the subway to Manhattan, I have seen faces that tell stories of such unspeakable pain. So many have simply been forgotten by society because of their economic or social status, and it is absolutely heartbreaking to see someone so lonely. I want so badly to embrace them, and tell them that there is someone out there who cares, but all I can ever manage is a small smile before I look away or pretend to be engrossed in some meaningless conversation. For whatever reason, a fear to really reach out to the truly suffering and alone has been instilled in me.
Even on our own campus, it seems as though we have all forgotten how to love one another. Instead, we are quick to attack, threatening and even physically assaulting others, as we have seen in recent events. Everywhere we go we are at risk of angering another and being the victim of irrational outbursts, simply for walking in the wrong direction or expressing our feelings. Surely, this constant stress is detrimental not only to our own health and happiness, but also to the community as a whole. On many levels, our campus is no longer a place where we can feel free to simply be the person we really are. Instead, we all put on fronts that will keep us safe from an attack, whether it be physical or verbal. As a community, we have forgotten how to love, and we have forgotten that even the smallest look can change a person's life. Each and every day we are all given the opportunity to show someone that we care, whether it be a simple smile or hello, or even stopping to talk to someone who looks lonely, this can make all the difference. There is no way to tell how a person really feels, and perhaps if we all had a little more understanding and compassion for others, we could all make the world a kinder place for someone who is surrounded by darkness.
College is such a tumultuous time for all of us. Despite our vast differences, we all share a common bond. No matter how easy it may seem on the outside, we are all stuck in a position filled with such great uncertainty-our futures are still dangling, we are out in the world on our own for the first time, and we all are still trying to decide who we really are. Perhaps if we all learned to be just a little kinder, a little more understanding, a little more accepting, we could build a place where everyone feels welcome, safe, and happy.